Are You Running Yourself Fat?

Not losing weight and unsure why? This could be the reason.

I recently had a conversation with a fitness enthusiast who was training for her first marathon. We were discussing her weekly mileage when she began complaining about her lack of fat loss, specifically around her midsection, and her diminished muscle mass. Quite upset and frustrated with her lack of weight loss results, even with the increase of cardio, I went on to explain that the answer to why she hasn’t lost weight and has even lost muscle definition is actually quite simple:

People burn fat most efficiently at repose. Counterintuitive right?

How about this, do you know what burns fat most efficiently? Muscle!

Do you know what happens when a person does extended periods of cardio? Their body sheds muscle to essentially lighten the load. Huh?

Fewer muscles = more fat

Take, for example, the marathon runner and the sprinter. The marathon runner is slender, bony, and often times frail. Now picture the sprinter – muscular, toned, and powerful. This isn’t just a coincidence. The human body was designed to adapt. It is simpler for “our machine” to run distance with a lighter total mass, whilst more important to retain muscle for producing speed.

What’s the solution?

High Intensity “Aerobic” Interval Training + Resistance Training.

Combining the two revs the individuals EPOC (Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption – this is a fancy way of saying metabolism) for a longer period of time. Aerobic being the least efficient and then Anaerobic.

Try:
Circuit Training – Sprinting on the treadmill at intervals that periodize your heart rate (i.e. 65% through 90%) and adding weights in a vertically loaded circuit, moving down the body, one body part at a time.

What have we taken away from the above?

About The Author

Alexander Kaufman is the founder and head trainer at Pepper Boxing, a boutique boxing studio located in the Green Hills neighborhood of Nashville. Alexander is a master trainer and fitness enthusiast. Seeking innovative fitness, health and wellness technique, Alexander spent years training privately in some of the greatest cities in the world – Berlin, Paris, London and Manhattan – to name a few. Through these experiences, Alexander developed a non-conventional, effective perspective on fitness. To learn more about Alexander, visit Pepper Boxing.